Alliance Questions £250,000 Spend On 'Lockable Pouches'

A decision by the Education Minister to spend £250k on 'magnetic lockable pouches' to prevent pupils from using their phones during school hours has been called into question by the Alliance Party.

Alliance Education Spokesperson, Michelle Guy MLA, said: "Alliance welcomes new guidance on mobile phone usage in schools. It is a frequent concern raised by parents and teachers as phones have increasingly become a barrier to concentration among pupils over the years.

"Schools are a place to learn without the distraction of mobile phones in the classroom and I appreciate the Education Minister and his department for shining a light on the issue. However, I am greatly concerned to learn that the Minister has approved a £250k capital spend on a pilot project to provide ten schools with 'magnetic lockable pouches' to prevent pupil access to phones.

"We are currently facing incredibly constrained financial times. Since the restoration of the Assembly, we have heard multiple contributions from the Education Minister himself saying he cannot meet his statutory duties due to budget shortfall. Therefore, I find it difficult to believe this is the most appropriate use of the department's limited budget.

"The Department of Education should prioritise allocating its capital budget towards addressing more urgent issues, not least the huge pressures in school maintenance, much needed investment in technology and ICT, outdoor learning and sports provision.

"School leaders are in the best position to implement appropriate policies and regulations to oversee phone usage within their own schools. Many schools have already taken the initiative in the absence of departmental guidance to address this issue without unnecessary expenditure.

"At a cost of £25k per school, the cost to introduce this project across the entire school estate could run to over £25million. This careless expenditure by the Education Minister and his department is completely unacceptable, and the lack of awareness regarding investment in prominent school issues, such as school maintenance and frontline education, is highly concerning."